


our little corner of the world

by jayfeatherseyebrows



Category: Fence (Comics)
Genre: 50's Diner Vibes, Banter, M/M, self indulgence at its finest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-25
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2019-02-06 16:27:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12821439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jayfeatherseyebrows/pseuds/jayfeatherseyebrows
Summary: Nicholas and Seiji end up in a diner at 3 AM, eating junk food and just talking.





	our little corner of the world

There was a 50’s style diner just a fifteen-minute walk from campus. Nicholas knew it was there because the neon lights advertising milkshakes and burgers had burned into his mind, vivid blues and pinks, the first time he had passed it. He had made a promise to himself that he would go there at some point.

He didn’t think his first time going would be at two-thirty AM, way past curfew, alongside his irritable, fencing-prodigy, somewhat rival of a roommate, Seiji Katayama.

The roommate in question narrowed his eyes at the flashing lights, his face illuminated in a way that made him look blurred at the edges. “Is it even open at this hour?” he said, eyes never leaving the sign.

Nicholas made a face at him. “Would the lights be on if it wasn’t?”

“Let me rephrase that.” He turned his head to fix his gaze on Nicholas. “Despite it being open, are they really willing to serve two teenagers in the dead of the night?”

Nicholas gestured at the _Open 24/7_ sign, in bright red and blue. “If they aren’t, we’ll sue for false advertising.”

Seiji sighed and rolled his eyes, tucking his arms into his sides. Spring was already here, but Connecticut was still holding on to the last bits of chill March had to offer. Nicholas and Seiji had thrown on the first thick hoodie and sweater they found before heading out. “If they kick us out and this whole ‘let’s-run-away-in-the-middle-of-the-night-‘cause-Nicholas-got-wanderlust’ ordeal falls through,” Seiji said, giving Nicholas one of his masterful unimpressed looks, “I am completely blaming you.”

Nicholas flashed him a sharp smile before opening the door. “I’m not the one who insisted on tagging along.”

“ _Someone_ ’s got to make sure you don’t get into more trouble than you usually do,” Seiji grumbled, going in after Nicholas. “There’s only so many detentions you can get.”

“Aw, Seiji. Didn’t know you cared.” The entire diner was empty save a waitress who looked like she could use a double-shot of espresso. Nicholas chose a booth by the windows.

“I don’t,” Seiji said, but the way he said it—eyes averted, his arms crossed tighter against his chest—made Nicholas think otherwise.

 

After Nicholas found what he was looking for (a reasonably priced double cheeseburger, chock full of pickles and sans the sauce), he looked up to see Seiji frowning at the menu. Before he could open his mouth to make fun of him, Seiji said, “Everything on here is either going to give me cholesterol-induced heart failure or diabetes.”

“That’s kind of the point,” Nicholas said.

“Coach Williams is going to kill us,” he mused. “Run us through with five épées. Maybe more.”

Nicholas shrugged and raised his hand towards the waitress who looked like she was about to fall asleep on her feet. Again. “What she doesn’t know can’t hurt her.”

“She’ll find out somehow. I think she has obscure psychic powers that alert her to whenever the team is on its bullshit.”

Nicholas snickered. “By team, you mean Aiden?”

Seiji’s mouth curled upwards in the slightest hint of a smile. The softness of it, the light in Seiji’s eyes that Nicholas couldn’t quite name, caught him so off guard that he didn’t notice the waitress standing over them, looking irritated at having her nap interrupted.

“Your order, sir?” she snapped.

Nicholas’s head jerked up to look at her, his face feeling a little too warm. He stammered out his order, plus a strawberry milkshake on the side. Then it was Seiji’s turn.

“I’ll have the triple fudge chocolate sundae.”

“Wow,” said Nicholas, looking at Seiji with wide eyes as the waitress walked away. “Go big or go home, apparently.”

Seiji shrugged. “Like you said. What Coach doesn’t know—but eventually will, I’m sure—can’t hurt her.”

Nicholas grinned. “So, this is Seiji Katayama’s wild side. Eating unsanctioned sundaes at 3 AM with his most hated roommate.”

“What can I say? I’m a rebel.”

Nicholas’s burst of laughter startled them both.

 

“Why are you so desperate to get into fencing?”

Nicholas looked up from his deliciously greasy and pickle-y cheeseburger. “What?”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, you disgusting animal.” Seiji ate another spoonful of chocolate ice cream before talking again. “Desperate isn’t the right word. Determined, more like.”

“Was that a backhanded compliment?” Nicholas felt a smile tugging at his lips.

“Just answer the question, Cox.”

Nicholas took another bite while he mulled over his answer. “Coach says I have the natural talent for it. Plus, my father was a fencer. World-class.”

That caught Seiji’s attention. “Really? Do I know him?”

 _Yes._ “No, he wasn’t big.” They drifted into silence as they ate their food. “What about you? Why are you so into fencing?”

Seiji hummed thoughtfully, using his spoon to mash up the fudge pieces in his sundae. “I’ve been doing it since I was six. I don’t think I really have a choice in the matter.”

Nicholas hesitated before answering. “If you don’t like it, you can quit, you know. Leave some room for the amateurs like me.” He held his breath, waiting for Seiji to explode on him and ruin this weird dream-like situation they were in, where they could talk like normal teammates—maybe even friends.

Seiji’s retorts never came. Instead, his voice was soft, eyes fixed on his sundae. “I do like it, though. And I’d never let those ten years of training go to waste—the entire fencing community would kill me.”

Nicholas took another bite of his burger. “Understandable,” he said, voice muffled by his mouthful.

Seiji glared at him and flung a piece of fudge at his face.

 

“Bobby has potential,” Seiji said, gesturing with his spoon. “He just needs to let go of his fear of getting hit and start hitting back.”

Nicholas smiled. “If he heard you say these things, he’d be crying at your feet in thanks.”

“Why?” Seiji narrowed his eyes at him

“Dude, you haven’t noticed?” Seiji gave him his best glare, but after months living together, Nicholas has become immune. “Bobby would trade his left foot for your acknowledgement.”

Seiji hummed. “I guess I’ll work on that, then.”

“Careful, he might swoon if you look at him.”

Seiji rolled his eyes. “Moving on. Aiden is pretty okay, too. He’d be better if he stopped staring at Harvard the entire practice.”

Nicholas choked on his milkshake. “What?”

Seiji smirked at him. “Dude, you haven’t noticed?” Nicholas stuck his tongue out at this horrible impression of him. “They’re all over each other, but neither will admit it. It’s kind of depressing to watch.”

“But,” Nicholas murmured, trying to piece this new information together. “Aiden is a player.”

“Exactly why it’s depressing to watch.”

In retrospect, Aiden _did_ always start flaunting his fencing when Harvard walked in. And Harvard’s disapproval of Aiden’s “escapades” fit into the picture, too. “Jeez. I never noticed.”

“Probably because you spend every minute of every practice trying to beat me instead of looking around,” Seiji said primly, eating another spoonful of fudge.

“Hey, fuck you,” Nicholas objected. “How else am I going to beat you if I don’t focus on practicing instead of catching up on the latest Kings Row gossip?”

Seiji gave him a cold little smirk. “Beat me. As if you could.”

“I can, and I will. I’ve told you a million times by now, I think.”

“A hundred and forty-six times, since we started school together. Hundred forty-seven since we first met.”

Nicholas narrowed his eyes at his roommate. “You counted?”

Seiji shrugged. “It’s a hobby.” He ate another bit of fudge, then said, “Tell you what. The day you finally beat me, if that day ever comes, I’ll owe you something. Any one thing you ask of me.”

Nicholas raised his eyebrows. “Any one thing?” he asked, his lips curling upwards.

Seiji averted his eyes, fixing them again on his now-melted chocolate monstrosity. “Within reason, of course.”

Nicholas leaned back in the booth, stretching his arms up then crossing them behind his head, a smug smile on his face. “Careful what you promise, Seiji. What if I ask you to announce to the whole school—no, the whole _world_ —that I am the superior fencer and you were a fool to ever underestimate me?”

“Now, _that’s_ pushing the limits.”

“Too bad, no takebacks.” Nicholas’s eyes glittered when he looked at Seiji. “I’m going to win that favor, Katayama. Sooner rather than later.”

Seiji was suddenly very interested in his goopy sundae. “I’ll take your word for it,” he murmured.

 

“It’s almost four. We should probably head back.”

Neither of them wanted to. They wanted to stay in this early morning illusion for as long as they possibly could.

“Yeah,” Seiji sighed. “Let’s go.”

 

**Harvard**

> Practice starts in 15. Where are you guys? You’re usually here by now.

 

**Aiden**

> u and seiji are both coincidentally not here yet (thinking emoji) (thinking emoji) (thinking emoji) (eyes emoji) (eyes emoji)

 

**Bobby**

> nicholas!!! coach is about to blow a fuse you’re late where are you!!!!!!!

> and where is seiji!!!!!!!!!!!

**Nicholas**

> sorry. we slept in.

**Author's Note:**

> talk fence to me on twitter @piningaaron


End file.
